'Reducing qualifying percentile in NEET-PG not unprecedented': Centre tells Supreme Court

The Centre asserted that even after the percentile reduction, seat allotment is done based on merit and candidates' preferences.

New Delhi: The Union government has told the Supreme Court that the reduction in cut-off for NEET PG 2025 would not affect clinical competence, while maintaining the allotment of seats is done based on merit and preferences submitted by the candidates.

In an affidavit, the Centre said that the purpose of the NEET-PG is not to certify minimum competence, which is established by the MBBS qualification itself of the candidates, but to generate an inter se merit list for allocation of limited postgraduate seats.

It asserted, even after the percentile reduction, seat allotment is done based on merit and candidates' preferences.

"Thus, this measure does not compromise academic standards, does not alter inter se merit, and does not confer any undue advantage upon any class of institutions," the affidavit said.

The government said that the reduction of the qualifying percentile in NEET-PG is not unprecedented.

"Since the inception of NEET-PG in 2017, percentile reductions have been implemented in appropriate circumstances to prevent seat wastage. In the academic year 2023 as well, the qualifying percentile was reduced to zero across categories. The present decision is thus consistent with the established policy and administrative practice," it said.

The government said that the policy aligns with the broader objective of expanding access to healthcare and strengthening medical infrastructure nationwide.

A plea was filed by Harisharan Devgan and others challenging the notice of January 13, which reduced the minimum qualifying percentile cut-off for counselling of the third round of NEET-PG 2025-26 for various categories.

Questions were raised over the decision to reduce the qualifying percentile to zero for reserved categories which will make the score as low as minus 40 out of 800.

In its response, the government said, reducing the qualifying percentile is a proportionate administrative measure intended to prevent seat wastage and strengthen specialist healthcare capacity.

The reduction of qualifying percentile widens the pool of eligible candidates and hence, after completion of Round 3 of (AIQ) NEET-PG counselling, the seat allotted candidates have reported (joined) to their respective institutes and only 2,988 seats have remained vacant, which will not be available in the next round of counselling.

The affidavit added that the eligibility criteria to appear in NEET-PG require a candidate to possess a recognised MBBS degree and to have completed the compulsory rotating internship.

"Therefore, all candidates appearing in NEET-PG are academically meritorious individuals who have successfully undergone 4.5 years of rigorous medical training across approximately 16-17 specialities of modern medicine, followed by one year of compulsory internship. Thus, every candidate appearing in NEET-PG is already a duly qualified medical graduate legally entitled to practice modern medicine," it said.

By way of the application of negative marking, certain candidates may obtain low, zero or even negative scores. However, the scores are a function of relative performance and examination design, which cannot be construed as determinative of clinical incompetence, the affidavit said.

"For the academic session 2025-26 total number of seats available was about 70,000, corresponding to the total number of candidates 2,24,029, while a total of 31,742 seats were under All-India Quota (AIQ) across various specialities. It is pertinent to note that after Round-2 of NEET-PG counselling a total balance seat 9,621 remained vacant under All India Quota," it said.